Fading Away
by T. F. Crosby
Summary: It isn't hard to be thinking other than what your expression may show. Especially when you've been doing so longer than you can remember. And it can hide your greatest desire from all. Or so you may believe.


Incredibly short compared to what I usually write. It came to me while I was re-vamping another story and listening to Demon Hunter, during the song "Fading Away." I love that song. I have no clue what genre to put this under. And I really don't know what else to say.

**nm05**- I swear I'm working on some stuff that has more humor in it. And hopefully I'll have something up soon.

**-xxx-**

**Fading Away**

It's in this wake that I find myself losing the will to resume this Hell. When every breath is a dying wish it's harder to follow the point of this.

The broken place that I call my home has deepened the sorrow that I have sown. And I can't erase what is in my heart. I want to finish before it starts.

So now I come to this final sleep. I pray that forgiveness is mine to keep. I know it's hard to forget this man driving the failure into your hands.

--from "Fading Away" by Demon Hunter

His face would never show it. His eyes would never give it away. No one would ever know. She believed she could read him like a book. She believed she knew what he was thinking when he stood before her in her throne room. But she could never fathom what he was thinking when he stood there and when he answered. She could never fathom what he was thinking when he saved her from being crushed by support beams when the Storm Machine was destroyed. She could never fathom what he was thinking when he called her "master." She could never fathom what he was thinking when she had Ravess and Snipe pinned to the upper part of the wall with her levitation crystal. She could never fathom what he was thinking when he said, "I assure you the Storm Hawks are no more." She could never fathom what he truly thought of her. She could never fathom how he truly felt about her. She didn't know his greatest desire. And it was just as well. It was best—_for both of them_.

**-xxx-**

She didn't know what he was thinking each time he looked at her. His eyes hid it well. She didn't know what he was thinking when he listened to her play the violin. She didn't know what he was thinking when she asked him for his orders when they were on a mission. She didn't know what he was thinking when he'd witness her fail in a mission. She didn't know what he was thinking when he found out she had failed. She didn't know what he was thinking when Cyclonis had her and her brother pinned to the upper part of the wall with the levitation crystal. She had no idea what he truly thought of her. She could never fathom how he truly felt about her. His face would never show it. His eyes would never give it away. There was a chance she would never know. She didn't know what his greatest desire was. Perhaps, it was best.

**-xxx-**

He didn't know what Dark Ace was thinking about as he watched him stomp down the corridor grumbling about another failed mission. He didn't know what Dark Ace was thinking about when he'd swing his mace around wildly. He didn't know what Dark Ace was thinking about whenever he referred to himself in the third person. He didn't know what Dark Ace was thinking about when he appeared on his ship and announced the arrival of the Storm Hawks and referred to the ship as "bloated." He didn't know what Dark Ace was thinking, whenever he looked at him. It was as if he wore a mask made of the hardest clay. He didn't know what Dark Ace was thinking when he found out the "academy" was a failure. He had no idea what Dark Ace truly thought of him. He could never fathom how Dark Ace truly felt about him. He would probably never know. He didn't know Dark Ace's greatest desire. More than likely, it was best.

**-xxx-**

He could never fathom what Dark Ace was thinking when he stood behind his Sky Knight, sword drawn. He could never fathom what Dark Ace was thinking when he destroyed his own squadron. He could never fathom what Dark Ace was thinking when he became "Dark Ace." He could never fathom what Dark Ace was thinking the first time he saw him. He could never fathom what Dark Ace was thinking the first time they battled. He could never fathom what Dark Ace was thinking when he said, "since you're young, I'll allow you a lifetime to savor your defeat." He could never fathom what Dark Ace was thinking each time he was one-upped by the young Sky Knight. He could never fathom what Dark Ace was thinking each time they spoke to each other. He could never fathom what Dark Ace truly thought of him. He could never fathom how Dark Ace truly felt about him. His face would never show it. His eyes would never give it away. He may know some day. And, unlike the others, though he doesn't know that he does, Aerrow knows Dark Ace's greatest desire.

**-xxx-**

No one knew what he was thinking when he did what he did; when he looked at others; when he spoke to them. His true thoughts were his own. They belonged to no one else. No one ever knew what he was thinking—_save one_.

His greatest desire, he believed, no one would ever know.

Then he heard a voice. A small but very clear voice.

_I know your greatest desire, _it said.

"No one knows my greatest desire."

_There is one, other than I._

"Who?"

_You know. You have always known. As have I._

"If you know my greatest desire, then tell me what it is."

_If you truly desire what you do, all you must do now is ask for it._

He was frozen in place. He couldn't speak. The air felt thick around him, and yet….

"I…I…."

Something was changing.

"I…I desire…."

**-xxx-**

I've been associating the song "Fading Away" with Dark Ace since I first heard it. Don't ask why, I have no clue. I just thought of him when I heard the song. (I also thought of Dark Ace when I heard George Strait's song "Ace in the Hole" while at a baby shower, but that's another story.) I wish I had something enlightening to say about this fic, but I don't. It's one of those things you look at and say, "Well, it just...is."

Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope it wasn't confusing.

_**fin**_


End file.
